Controlled impedance gas discharge device for mechanical transmission mediums



- A. A. VARELA 2,646,550 CONTROLLED IMPEDANCE GAS DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL TRANSMISSION MEDIUMS Filed Jan. 9, 1948 July 21, 1953 DIRECT CURRENT SUPPLY E H WC GU R I W HEO m MODULATION VOLTAGE game/MM ARTHUR A.VARELA MAI/4 1 WAVE RADIO FREQUENCY GENERATOR \CONTINUOUS Patented July 21, 1953 CONTROLLED IMPEDANCE GAS DISCI IARGE DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL TRANSMISSION MEDIU'MS Arthur A. Varela, Alexandria, Va. Application January 9, 1948, Serial No. 1,423

2 Claims. (01. see-s1 (Granted under Title 35; U. 8 Code (1952),

This invention relates to high frequency power control systems and more particularly to sysfrequency power as a substantially linear func-.

tion in accordance with a trolling influence.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide novel means for controlling the transmission'of high frequency power through a mechanical transmission medium.

Another object is to provide novel means for controlling the transmission of electromagnetic predetermined. conenergy through a mechanical transmission medium by varying the propagation characteristics of the medium without changing the physical characteristics thereof.

Another object is to provide novel means for varying the propagation characteristics of a mechanical transmission medium. v

Another object is to provide novel means for controlling the transmission of high frequency power through mechanical transmission mediums by varying the propagation characteristics thereof as a substantially linear function in accordance with a predetermined controlling influence. Still another object is to provide novel means having the foregoing characteristics to provide varying coupling of high frequency power through i a mechanical trans-mission medium. throughout a range from substantially zero power coupling to maximum power coupling as a substantially linear function in accordance with a predetermined controlling influence. I I

A still further object of the present invention sec. 266) sidered in connection with the accompanying drawing which discloses several embodiments of the invention. It is tobe expressly understood however that the drawing is designed for purposes of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference for the latter purpose being had to the appended claims. In the drawing: wherein similar reference charactersdenote similar elements throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a; diagrammatic illustration of a system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention for controlling the transmission of high frequency power through a mechanical transmission medium;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a system constructed in accordance with another em- With reference more particularly to Fig. -1 of the drawing,'a system embodying theprinciples of the present invention for controlling the transmission of high frequency power through a me-, chanical transmission medium is disclosed therer in in connection with a source of high frequency is to provide novel means for modulating high frequency power.

A still further object is to provide a novel radio frequency modulator for modulatingv radio frevention will appear morefully hereinafter from the following detaileddescription when conchanical transmission medium may be employed inconnection with'the present invention, such as parallel transmission lines or wave guides of the hollow type having rectangular or circular cross section; The control system includes a voltage discharge device 'l5'positioned in the mechanical transmission medium 12. The voltage discharge device I5 may take the form of a spark gap including electrode [6, connected to the inner conductor 13, and an electrode 'ii supported by the outer conductor 14 in spaced relationship with the electrode I6. For a purpose that will appear more fully hereinafter the electrode I! is insulated from the outer conductor 14 by means of suitable insulating material I8. The voltage discharge device Hiis designed and calibrated to 3 produce a voltage discharge across the electrodes I6 and I? in response to high frequency power from the source i8, when the electrode [7 is maintained at apotential equal to the potential of the outerconductor [4. The voltage discharge device i5 is further designed and calibrated so that the voltage discharge produced across the electrodes l6 and [1, under the foregoing conditions, presents a suihcientlyilowimpedancamvith respect to the characteristic impedance of the medium 12, to establish an effective short circuit across the transmission medium 1.2. Sucheffective short circuit varies the normal propagation characteristics of the medium l2 iii-such a manner so that substantially no poweris coupled 1 to the load I I. In some instances it may be desirable to position the voltage-discharge device I? a predetermined distance from the input terminals of the transmission medium l2 equal to an odd -multiple, including .-one, ;of electrical quarter wave lengths. of the firequency ;of th source it. 'jwithgslichan arrangement, the low impedance or short circuit.appearingracrossmthe medium l2 at the voltageidischarge device 15 is inverted as an open circuitatthe input;ter minals of the transmission medium I 2 in 1a:ma-nner well understood by those. skilled in the art.

As mentioned heretofore, one oipthegobjccts of the present invention is to provide means for varying the'impedance valuezof the voltage discharge produced 'by the voltage device [5 to control transmission -.-of high frequency power through :the'mechanical transmission medium 12 in accordance with-a predetermined controlling influence. It has been found zthat :the establishment: of a direct current :potential 'difierential in the voltage "discharge device [5,:by increasing the potential on the electrode i'i' with respect to the potentiaLof 'theiouterconductor H! for examplepincreases the timpedance 01 the voltage discharge in :accordance therewith. g As shown inFigpl, the foregoing means comprises a direct current supply lwSrcoupledto the elec- 'trode l1 through conductor-T20. The direct current supply 19 may be constructed in 'any;conventional manner capable of providinga predetermined value of'direct currentpotentialvariable throughout a Wide-range. 'Since .the electrode 17 is insulated from the outer conductor Maby the insulating-material t8 the direct currentsup- 7 I5 is responsive to the energizing high frequency power from the source Hl to produce a voltage discharge having an impedance of sumciently low value to establish an eiiective'short circuit in the transmission medium 12. .Under the foregoing conditions, substantially no power is coupled to the load ll. When a potential differential is established between the electrode I! and the outer conductor M, in: accordance with operation of the direct current supply IS, the impedance of the voltage discharge isincreased thereby allowing transmission of power to the ;load ll substantially ii-proportion to the established potential differential. As will appear more operation of "the direct current supply l9. shown, the high frequency power from the source l ransmission med um 12.

tional manner.

a fully hereinafter, by controlling the direct current supply I9 in such a manner'as to apply a potential diiierential between the electrode ii .and the outer conductor Jilin accordance with apredetermined controlling influence the high frequency power from the source H} is coupled to the load H attenuated substantially in proportion to such predetermined controlling iniiuence.

embodiment the voltage discharge device is connected to the mechanical transmission medium IZ through an impedance transformer means to provide more accurate control of high frequency power transmission in accordance with As [0 is coupled to the load H through the mechaniaAn impe an transiormetmeans is disclosed in the form pi awesonant l ne se tio :2 l, avi g out r c nductor:22;.an vinner1c1 ctmd 3,. o pl d to he: me-

chanical transmission medium l2 in a-oonven- The resonant line section 2! further includes electrode 24 centrally positioned at the high impedance endthereof in predetermined spaced relationship With the upper end of the central electrode 23 to forma spark-gap 'or voltage discharge device. The voltage disof suitable insulating .material 25 and is ,con-

nected to the output of the directourrent supply lf-l through the conductor 20.

In operation of the embodiment disclosedjn Fig. 2, the resonant line section 2| functions as an impedance'transformer to apply voltages across the electrodes 23 and-2 a predetermined degree greater than-the voltages energizingthe ,mechanical transmission medium 12, and, when a voltage'discharge is produced, to establish an impedance in the medium l2 a corresponding degree less than the impedance of the voltage discharge. As shown in Fig. 2, theresonant line section 32' is short circuited at its lower end by the connection of its central conductor 23 to loops incentral conductor [3. When a discharge occurs across electrodes 23 and 2d, line section 2| becomes effectively shorted at both ends and the resonance is destroyed. When the resonance is'destroyed the electromagnetic coupling is destroyed between the right and left sections of transmission medium i2, and energy from source H3 is not delivered to load 11. The voltage dis charge device maybe, designed and calibrated, .when no potential differential exists between the electrode 24 and the outer conductor :22, to produce a low impedance voltage discharge, in response to low power level energization, and to establish a stilllower impedance value across rangement is especially advantageous in instances where the impedance of the voltage discharge substantially corresponds to the characteristic impedance of the medium 12. Furthermore, since the impedanceoi the voltagedischarge is reflected to the transmission medium I 2 asa lower value determi'hed by the impedancetransforming characteristics of the resonant line section 2|, more accurate control of high frequency power transmission'is provided upon operation 'of the direct current supply I 9. *Although the impedance transformer means is disclosed in the form of a resonant line section it is to be expressly understood that other conven tional impedance transformer means :may be utilized inconnection with the present invention, for example, a resonant cavity or a resonant iris may be readily employed when the 1 particular 'type of mechanical transmission medium and the frequency of the energizing power dictate such use.

Fig. 3 of the drawing discloses a system embodying the principles of the present invention pulse energy, at any predetermined frequency,

including very high and ultra high frequencies, a load element such as a horn radiator 21 and a mechanical transmission medium 28, shown in a form of a hollow wave guide having a rectangular cross section, coupling the output of the generator 26 to the radiator 21. In order to modulate the radio frequency energy output from the generator 26 and to couple such modulated radio frequency energy to the load 21 means are provided for establishing a variable impedance in the wave guide 28 to vary the propagation characteristics thereof in accordance with the value of the established impedance, and for varying the value of such impedance in accordance with a predetermined controlling influence, such as a modulation voltage. The foregoing means, with additional reference to Fig. 4, comprises a coupling iris and voltage discharge device including metallic tabs 29 and 30 extending inwardly from opposite sides 3| and 32, respectively of the wave guide 28. The intermediate portion of the tabs 29 and 39 are extended inwardly a greater extent than the remaining portion thereof. The portions 33 and 34 are terminated in predetermined spaced relationship to form a voltage discharge path therebetween. Suitable dielectric windows 35 and 33 are sealed on opposite sides of the tabs tion voltage is produced by the modulation voltagegenerator 39. The value of the direct current source 49 is selected to be equal toor greater than the direct current differential required to prevent formation of the voltage discharge.

Since the direct current bias applied to the :tab

39 is proportional to the modulation voltage produced by the modulation voltage generator'39 the degree of theradio frequency power coupled to the radiator 21 is proportional to the modulation voltage; This'arrangement provides efiicient means for modulating high power continuouswaye radio frequency energy, or pulsating high frequencies. I I

An explanation of the theory of operation of why the voltage discharge impedance is increased .r dio frequency energy, atyery high and ultra when the direct current potential is increased between electrode l1 and the outer conductor I4 is found in the January 15, 1947, issue of the magazine, The Physical Review, pages 124, 125, in an article titled Effect of Direct-Current Potential on Initiation of Radiofrequency Discharge by A. A. Varela.

There is thus provided by the present invention novel means for controlling the transmission of high frequency power through mechanical transmission mediums. The arrangement is such that the propagation characteristics of the mechanical I transmission medium are varied in accordance with a predetermined controlling influence without changing the physical characteristics thereof. With such an arrangement, high frequency power energizing a mechanical transmission me dium is controllable to prevent coupling of power I therethrough or to allow maximum power transfer attenuated only by inherentcharacteristics of the transmission medium; to allow transfer of a predetermined degree of the energizing power, and to modulate high power radio frequency energy by varying the transfer of energizing power in accordance with influence.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described herein it is to be expressly understood that various changes and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as well filled with a suitable gas, such as hydrogen, under low pressures, to form a sensitive voltage discharge device in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art. The tab 30 includes a portion 3! extending outwardly therefrom beyond the wall 32 of the wave guide, and the tab 30, including the portion 31, is insulated from the an impedance of sufficient value to short circuit the wave guide 28 when no direct current potential differential exists between the tabs 29 and 30, the latter condition occurring when zero modulaunderstood by those skilled in the art. Reference therefore will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental 1 purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor- What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for controlling the transfer of electromagnetic energy through a transmission line comprising, a source of electromagnetic energy feeding one end of said line, a two electrode voltage discharge device having one electrode directly connected to one side of said line, and a variable direct current source connected between [said other electrode and the other side of said line to bias said other electrode with respect to said other side of the line.

2. An apparatus for controlling the transfer of I electromagnetic energy through a transmission line comprising, a source ofelectrom'agnetic energy feeding one end of said line, a two electrode voltage discharge devicepositioned in said line an odd integral number of quarter wave lengths from said one end, said quarter wave lengths being measured by the frequency of said electro- V a predetermined modulating 

